The Outsiders: A Sailor Moon Story
by almostyourangel
Summary: It stars Darien! Isn't that good enough? *gigglez* Based on the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (awesome book), but with Sailor Moon characters. Please review, guys? For yo' fave angel!
1. Chapter One

Hey, y'all. I'm back with another chapterized story! *gigglez* Summer Troubles--a truly   
awesome story by Baby Bear--is one of my fave stories at fanfiction.net. It's about these  
two rival gangs, the leaders of which being Serena and Darien, of course! LoL. Anyway,  
I was reading the Outsiders (by S.E. Hinton) and I thought of her story, and I thought, hey,   
what about a Sailor Moon version of the Outsiders? It's an awesome story, so...Anyway.   
Here we go! Oh, and by the way--Cheebz is mad at me--I took her doll away because she   
was bad--so don't be surprised if she seems a little bitchy.  
  
*Walks off. Chibi Angel sticks her tongue out and blows a raspberry after her, then says in  
a huffy voice,"  
  
The mean so-called Angel doesn't own Sailor Moon or The Outsiders,  
You sure as hell can't sue!  
For she calls herself an Angel,  
And she's so blonde, she wouldn't know what to do!  
  
*Screams as Angel chases her off the stage with a bottle of water, spraying C-A and making  
her squeal. Angel shouts back, ENJOY THE STORY!*  
  
The Outsiders  
Chapter One  
Getting Jumped  
  
~*Darien's POV*~  
  
I stepped outside of the door, blinking from the ultra-bright sunshine after the darkness of   
the movie theatre. I had only two things on my mind: Leonardo DiCaprio and a ride home.   
I was wishing that I looked like Leonardo--girls dig him and he looks tuff, unlike me. Sure, I   
get my share of girls, and I guess my looks aren't so bad. I have coal-black, almost midnight  
colored hair and bluish-green eyes. (AN: Work with me.) I wish they were more blue then   
green, because I hate almost every guy I know who has green eyes. But I guess I have to be  
happy with what I've got, because there's not much I can do to change that short of getting  
tinted contacts and plastic surgery--and I can't afford that. My hair is longer than a lot of guys  
wear theirs, but I'm a greaser and none of my gang ever bothers to get a hair cut. Besides,  
I look funny with short hair. (AN: As if! You, my dear, *never* look funny.)  
  
It was a long way home and I didn't have anyone to walk with, but that's the way it usually is,  
if for no reason other than I like to watch movies alone so that I can really connect with the  
actors. l'm different that way--my second oldest brother, Andrew, who is sixteen-going-on-  
seventeen, never opens anything other than Playboys and car magazines, and my oldest brother,  
Seiya, works way too much to have time to relax with a book.   
  
(AN: I just have to cut in here and let everyone know that characteristics are gonna be changed   
slightly in this story--like 'blue-green' eyes, when everyone knows that the character really gas  
dark bright blue eyes. Aight? Aight. So please don't flame me saying, 'HE HAS BLUE EYES,  
YOU HOE!' or 'SEIYA DOESN'T HAVE ICY BLUE-GREEN EYES, YOU DITZ! GET A   
CLUE!', otay? Thnx.)  
  
And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do--for awhile, I thought I was the  
only one who did. So I'm usually alone.  
  
Andrew tries to understand my interests, which is more than I can say about Seiya. But then  
again, Andy is different than anybody; he understands almost everything. He never yells  
at me the way Seiya does, or treats me like I'm four instead of fourteen. I love Andy more   
than I've ever loved anyone--even Mom and Dad. He's always so cheerful and I've never   
seen him unhappy, where as Seiya's hard and firm and rarely smiles at all. I guess I can   
understand, because my oldest brother's gone through a lot in his twenty years. Andy  
will never grow up at all. I'm not sure what way's better, but I guess I'll find out one of these   
days.  
  
So anyway, I was walking home, thinking about the movie I'd just seen--The Beach--and I  
suddenly wished I had someone with me. Greasers like me can't walk alone too much or   
they'll get jumped, or someone will come by and scream, "GREASE!" At them, which doesn't  
make you feel so hot if you know what I mean. We get jumped by Socs. I have no clue how   
you spell it, for all of my academic awards and trophies, but it's the shortened version for the  
Socials, the jet set, the West-side rich kids.It's like "greaser", which is used to class all of  
us half-ass poor boys on the East side.  
  
We're dirt poor, much poorer then the Socs and far beneath even the middle class. As far  
as I can tell, we're wilder too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and destroy houses and  
throw keg parties for fun, and get articles in the paper about being society's scum one day  
and then an asset to the neighborhood the next. Greasers are kind of like hoods; we steal  
things, drive old souped-up cars, rob gas stations and even have gang fights once in awhile.  
I don't mean that I do shit like that--Seiya would beat the crap out of me if I got in trouble  
with the cops. Since Mom and Dad died in the car crash when I was fourteen, the three of   
us got to stay together only if we stayed out of trouble. So Andrew and I did the best we   
could to avoid it, and when we couldn't, we're careful not to get caught. I just meant that  
most greasers do things like that, just like we wear our hair long and dress in jeans and  
T-shirts, or leave our shirttails out, and leather jackets and tennis shoes or boots. I'm not  
saying that either Socs or greasers are better--although I would much rather be a grease   
then one of those snobby little...Never mind--that's just the way things are.  
  
I know I could've waited to go to the movies until Seiya or Andy got off work. They would  
have gone with me, or driven me, or at least walked along--although Andy just can't sit still  
long enough to enjoy a movie and Seiya says his life is complicated enough without watching  
other people's problems, too. If the above had failed, I could've gotten one of the gang to   
come with me, one of the four boys Seiya and Andy and I have grown up with and consider  
family. We're practically brothers, and when you grow up in a tight neighborhood like ours   
you get to know each other real well. If I had though about it, I could have called Seiya and he   
would've come by on his way home and picked me up, or Ken (AN: Lita's boyfriend)   
Jackson--one of our gang--would have come to get me in his car if I had asked him, but  
sometimes I guess I don't stop to think. It drives Seiya crazy when I do shit like that, 'cause  
I'm supposed to be smart; I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I  
don't stop to think. Besides, I like walking.  
  
I decided I didn't like it so much, though, when I saw the red convertible following me. I was  
almost two blocks from home then, so I started walking faster. I've never been jumped, but  
I saw Greg after four Socs got a hold of him, and it wasn't pretty. Greg was scared of  
his own shadow after that. He was only sixteen then.  
  
I knew it wasn't gonna help, though--the fast walking, I mean--even before the convertible  
pulled up and five Socs got out. I got kind of scared--I'm kind of small for fourteen, even though  
I have a good build, and those guys were way bigger than me. I automatically hooked my  
thumbs in my jeans' belt loops and slouched, wondering if I'd make it if I made a break for   
it. I rembembered Greg--his face all bruised and cut, and how he'd cried when we found him,  
half-conscious, in the empty lot on the corner. Greg had it real rough at home, it took a lot to  
make him cry.  
  
I was sweating like crazy, although I was freezing. I could feel my palms getting clammy and  
the perspiration running down my back. I get like that when I'm really scared. I glanced around  
for a pop bottle, or a stick, or...or something. (AN: The pop bottles in this story are all made  
of glass, not plastic, like those glass coke bottles that were so cool last year.) Yaten Kou,  
Andy's best friend, had once held off four guys with a broken pop bottle, but there was nothing.  
So I stood there like an idiot while they surrounded me. I don't stop to think. They walked  
around me, slowly, silently, smiling.  
  
"Hey, grease," said one in a sticky-sweet voice. "We're gonna do you a favor, greaser.   
We're gonna cut all that long greasy hair off. He had a silk shirt on. I can still see it.  
Blue silk. *Rather extravagent for a jump,* I thought dazedly. One of them laughed, then   
swore me out in a low voice. I couldn't think of any comebacks. There just isn't a lot of shit  
you can say while waiting to get bashed, so I just kept my big mouth shut for once.   
  
"Need a haircut, greaser?" the average-sized blond pulled a knife out of his back pocket   
and flipped the blade open.  
  
I finally thought of something to say. "No." I was backing up, away from that terrifying knife.   
And of course, I backed right into one of them. Go figure. They had me down in five seconds--  
my arms and legs pinned down and one of them sitting on my chest with his knees on my  
elbows. If you don't think that hurts, you're out of your mind. I could smell Tommy cologne and  
stale weed-smoke, and I wondered, stupidly, if I would suffocate before they did anything to  
me. I was so scared out of my mind, I wished I would. I fought to get loose, and almost did  
for a few precious seconds. Then they tightened their grasp on me and the one sitting on   
my stomach slugged me a few times. So I lay still, swearing at them between gasps. A   
switchblade was held against my throat.  
  
"How would you like that haircut to begin just below the chin, grease?"   
  
Right then, it occured to me that they could kill me and I totally spazzed out. I started screaming  
for Andy, for Seiya, for anyone. Someone put his hand over my mouth, but I bit it as hard as  
I could and nearly gagged when I tasted the blood running through my teeth. I heard a   
muttered curse and got smacked again, and they were shoving a bunch of Kleenex in my  
mouth. One of them kept saying, "Shut him up, for God's sake, shut him up!"   
  
Then there was shouts and pounding footsteps , and the Socs jumped up and left me lying  
there. Trying to breathe. I sprawled there, and wondered what in the hell was happening--  
guys were jumping over me, running by me, and I was too dazed to figure it out. Suddenly,  
someone had me under the armpits and was dragging me to my feet. It was Seiya.  
  
"You okay, Darien?" (AN: ALL RIGHT!!! Now we know who the main character is! LoL.)  
  
He was shaking me and I wished he'd stop, I was dizzy enough already. I could tell it was  
Seiya, though, half because of his voice and half because Seiya's always rough with me   
without meaning to be.  
  
"I'm okay. Quit shaking me, Seiya, I'm okay."  
He stopped right away. "I'm sorry."  
  
He wasn't really sorry. Seiya's never sorry for anything he does. I think it's trippy shit that he  
can look just like my Dad, but be the exact opposite of him. My dad was only forty when he  
died and he looked twenty-five--everyone thought Seiya and Dad were brothers instead of  
father and son. But they only looked alike--my dad was never rough with anyone without   
meaning to be.  
  
Seiya's six-foot-two, broad-shoulder and muscular with dark-brown hair that sticks out in   
front and has a bit of a cowlick in the front--just like Dad's--but Seiya's eyes are his own.  
He's got orbs like pale blue-green ice, determined, like the rest of him. He looks a hell of a  
lot older than twenty, tough, cool, and real smart. Greg and I think he'd be real 'hot', like the  
girls out here say, if his eyes weren't so dead-looking and hard. He doesn't understand   
anything that isn't straight shit. But he stops to think.  
  
I sat down again, rubbing my bruised cheek. Seiya shoved his fists in his pockets. "They  
didn't smash you too bad, did they?"   
  
They did. I was in pain, I was aching, my chest was sore, and I was so nervous my hands  
were shaking and I wanted to start bawling, but you just don't say shit like that to Seiya.  
  
"I'm aight."  
  
Andy came loping back. But then I'd figured out all the noise I'd heard was the gang coming  
to kick the Socs' asses. He dropped down beside me and started inspecting my head.  
  
"You got cut, eh, Dari-boy?" I looked at him blankly. "Huh?"  
  
Andy pulled out a Kleenex and pressed it gently to the side of my head. "You're bleeding   
like you did the time you stole the car and tried to drive it."  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Look, ya dumbass!" he showed me the Kleenex, bloody as if by magic. "They pull a blade  
on ya?"  
  
I remembered the voice: "Need a haircut, greaser?" I guess the knife slipped when he tried  
to get me to shut up. "Yeah."  
  
Andy is 'hotter' than anyone I know. Not like Seiya--Andy's movie-star kind of hot, the kind  
that people on the street stop to watch. He's not as tall as Seiya, and he's thinner, but he  
has a sensitive face that somehow manages to be reckless and thoughtful at the same time.  
He's got dark-gold hair that he combs back--long, silky, and straight--and in the summer, the sun   
bleaches it to a shining wheat-gold. His eyes are dark-blue--lively, dancing, recklessly   
laughing eyes that can be gentle and sympathetic one second, and blazing-pissed off the   
next. Dad's eyes, but Andy's one of a kind. He can get drunk in a drag race or when he's  
dancing, without even going near alcohol! How weird is that? In the 'hood, it's unusual to  
find a kid that doesn't drink at least once in awhile, but Andy never touches the stuff. He   
doesn't need to, he gets drunk off life, and he understands everybody.   
  
He looked at me closely. Quickly, I looked away, because if you wanna know the truth I was  
about to start sobbing. I bet I was as white as I felt and I was shaking like a baby.   
  
Andy didn't say anything, just rested a hand on my shoulder and shook me gently. "S'aight, Dare.  
They ain't gonna hurt you anymore. S'aight."  
  
"I know," I said, calming down. But to my utter horror, my vision was blurring as I stared at  
the ground and I felt hot tears running down my face. *God, stop, you loser! You're fourteen,  
not four!* I brushed the tears away impatiently. "It just scared me a little, I guess." I took a  
deep breath and stopped bawling. You just don't cry in front of Seiya, unless you're as   
messed up as Greg was that day. Compared to Greg, I wasn't hurt at all.   
  
Andy tousled my hair comfortingly."You're an okay kid, Dare."   
  
I had to grin--Andy can make you smile no matter what. "You're totally crazy, Andy, out of   
your little mind."   
  
Seiya looked like he wanted to smash our heads together. "You're both bonkers," he muttered.  
  
Andy just raised an eyebrow, a trick he'd picked up from Ken. "Seems to run in the family,  
hmm, Sei?"  
  
Seiya glared at him for a minute, then let his face relax into a smile. Andy isn't scared   
shitless of him like the rest of us are. Personally, I'd just as soon tease Stone Cold, but  
for some reason Seiya seems to like being teased by Andy.   
  
The rest of the gang had chased the Socs' down to their car and tossed rocks at them.  
From the shattering sounds, I assumed they had smashed a few windows, too. They all  
came running towards us now--four buffed out guys. They were all as hard as Seiya's eyes  
and looked it. I had grown up with every single one of them, and they accepted me, if only  
because I was Seiya and Andy's little brother, but most of the gang respected me because  
I kept my mouth shut the way I'm supposed to.  
  
Yaten Kou was seventeen, tall and buff, with long silvery-white hair he kept swirling backwards  
in complicated twists before ending in a lengthy ponytail. He was smart, maybe a little too   
cocky for his own good, but he could jack a hubcap quicker and quieter then anyone in the  
'hood. He's been Andy's best friend since elementary school. He knows cars upside down  
and backwards, and he can drive anything on wheels. He and Andy work at the same gas-  
station--Yaten part-time and my brother full-time--and their station got more customers then  
any other in town. I don't know if that's because Yaten's so good with cars, or if it's because  
Andy attracts girls like honey draws flies. I like him only because he's Andy's best friend. He  
doesn't like me--he thinks I'm a tag-a-long and a kid because Andy always takes me when  
they go places without chicks. That bugs Yaten a lot, but it's not my damn fault. My brother   
asks me, I don't ask him. Andy doesn't think I'm a kid.  
  
Ken Jackson is the oldest of the gang and he's the smart-ass of our group. He's about 6'0",   
stocky, and real proud of his long rusty-colored sideburns. He's got dark blue eyes and a  
big grin. I really don't think he could stop making funny remarks to save his mother's life.   
You just can't shut the guy up, he always has to get his 2 cents in. He's famous for shoplifting   
and his black-handled blade (which, of course, he couldn't have acquired without his first   
talent), and he was always mouthing off to the cops. He really can't help it. According to him,   
everything hje says is just so irresistably funny that he just had to let the cops in on it to   
brighten up their dull lives. He likes fights, blondes, and for some trippy reason, school.   
He was still a junior at eighteen and a half, and he never learned anything. He just went for  
fun, I guess, although that I can't fathom. I like him a lot because he keeps us laughing, at   
ourselves just like he keeps us laughing at everything else. He reminds me of Jim Carey--  
maybe it was the smile.  
  
If I had to pick the real character in our gang, it would definitely be Chad Winston. I used to  
like to draw his picture when he was pissed, 'cause then I could get his personality down in   
a few pencil strokes. He has kind of an elfian facewith high cheekbones, a pointed chin,   
small sharp animal teeth, and ears like Will Smith's only pointier. He hates haircuts or   
hair-products, so his long dark-brown hair falls over his rarely seen blazing-ice blue eyes,  
the eyes so cold with a hatred of the whole world. Chad spent three years on the wild side  
of New York and had been arrested at the age of ten. He was tougher then the rest of us--  
tougher, colder, meaner. The inch of difference that separates a greaser from a hood isn't  
present in Chad. He's as wild as the boys in the downtown gangs, like Tim Shepard's.  
  
In New York, Chad blew off steam in gang fights, but here in the sticks planned fights are  
definitely rare--there's just lots of little cliques and the war between the social classes. A   
rumble, when they're called, is just a grudge fight. Then the opponents 'just happen' to bring  
their friends around with them. Like the River Kings, and the Tiber Street Tigers, but here  
in the Southwest there's no gang shit. Chad, though he gets into a good fight once in awhile,  
has no specific thing to hate. No rival gang. Only Socs. And you can't win against them no  
matter how hard you try, because they're got all the shit and even kicking their asses isn't  
gonna change that fact. Maybe that's why Chad's so bitter.  
  
He has a majorly bad reputation, and his file at the cop station takes a forklift to pick up.  
He's been arrested, got drunk and disorderly, rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, beat up  
drunks, jumped little kids--he's done everything. I don't like him, but he's smart so you gotta  
respect him.  
  
Greg Cade is last--and least. Picture an undergrown, dark little puppy that's been kicked too  
much and is lost in a crowd of strangers, and you'll gave Greg. He's second youngest, next  
to me, smaller than all of us with a very slight build. He's got these big black eyes in a darkly  
tanned face, his hair jet black and heavily greased to the side, but so long that it falls in   
shaggy bangs across hiis forehead. He's got this nervous, suspicious look in his eyes, and  
that beating he got from the Socs didn't help shit much. He's the gang's kid, everyone's little  
brother. Greg's dad is a child-abusing asshole and his mother ignores him, except for when she's  
pissed off about something--at which time you can hear her yelling at him all the way down  
by our house. I think he hates that more than he hates getting abused. He would've ran away  
about a million times if we weren't around. If not for the gang, Greg would've never known   
what love and affection is.  
  
I wiped my eyes hurriedly. "Didya catch 'em?"  
  
"Nope, they got away this time, the dirty..." Ken went on cheerfully, calling the Socs every  
name he could think of or make up.  
  
"The kid's okay?"  
  
"I'm okay." I tried to think of something to say. I'm usually pretty quiet around people, even  
the gang. I changed the subject. "I didn't know you were out of the slammer yet, Chad."  
  
"Good behavior. Got off early." Chad lit a joint and handed it to Greg. We all sat down to  
smoke and relax--weed always lightens the mood. I quit shaking and my color came back,  
the joint was calming me down. (AN: I know none of them smoke. Leave me alone, it's a  
big part in the original story of The Outsiders.)  
  
Ken raised an eyebrow. "Tuff lookin' bruise you got there, kid."   
  
I touched my cheek gingerly. "Really?"   
  
Ken nodded sagely. "Nice cut, too. Makes you look tough."  
  
Tuff and tough are two different words--tough means rough, tuff means cool. In our neighborhood,  
both are compliments.  
  
Yaten flicked his ashes at me. "What were you doin', walkin' by yourself?" Leave it to Yaten  
to bring up something like that.  
  
"I was coming home from the movies. I didn't think..."  
  
"You don't ever think," Seiya broke in, "not at home or anywhere it counts. You must think at  
school, with all those good grades and shit you bring home, and you've always got your  
face shoved in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? Hell, no, man.  
And if you did go by yourself, you should've taken a blade. You can be so stupid, Darien."  
  
I just stared at a tear in the toe of my shoe. Me and Seiya just don't get each other, I can   
never please him. He would've yelled at me for carrying a blade if I *had* had one. If I   
brought home B's, he wanted A's, and if I got A's, he wanted them to stay A's. If I was playing  
football, I should be in studying, and if I was studying, I should be playing football. He never  
spazzes on Andy--not even when Andy dropped out of school or got tickets for speeding.  
He just yells at me.  
  
Andy was glaring at him. "Leave my kid brother alone, you hear? It isn't his fault he likes to  
go to the movies, and it isn't his fault that the Soc's like to jump us. If he'd been carrying a  
blade, it would've been a good excuse for them to slice him into a Mc'Donald's hamburger,  
and you know you would've gone postal on Darien if he'd had one."  
  
Andy always stands up for me.  
  
Seiya said impatiently, "When I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid  
brother, I'll ask you--kid brother." But he laid off. He always does with Andrew tells him to.  
Most of the time.  
  
Next time get one of us to go with you, Darien," Ken said. "Any of us will."  
  
"Speaking of movies--" Chad yawned, flipping away his cigarette butt--"I'm walkin' over to  
the Nightly Double tomorrow night. Anybody want to come and look for some action?"  
  
(AN: I know that by this time, they'd probably be high, but just pretend there's a very small  
amount of weed in the smokes, aight? Thnx.)  
  
Yaten shook his head. "Me and Andy are picking Raye and Mina up for the game."  
  
He didn't need to look at me the way he did right then. I wasn't gonna ask if I could come.  
I'd never tell andy, because he really likes Yaten a lot, but sometimes I can't stand Yaten   
Kou. I mean it. Sometimes I hate him.   
  
Seiya sighed, just like I knew he would. Seiya never has time to do *anything* anymore.  
"I'm working tomorrow night."  
  
Chad looked at the rest of us. "How about y'all? Ken? Gregstuff, you and Darien'll come,  
won't you?"  
  
"Me and Greg will come," I said. I knew Greg wouldn't open his mouth unless he was forced  
to. "Aight, Seiya?"  
  
"Yeah, since it isn't a school night." Seiya's really good about letting me go places on week-  
ends. On school nights, I can hardly leave the house.  
  
"I was planning on getting smashed straight tomorow night," Ken said. "If I don't, I'll drive   
over and find y'all."   
  
Yaten was looking at Chad's hand. His ring, which he beat up a drunk senior to get, was   
back on his finger. "You break up with Lita again?"  
  
"Yeah, and this time it's for good. That little slut was cheating on me again when I was in  
jail." (AN: Sowy, Lita fans! Real sowy!)   
  
I thought of Lita Kino and Raye Hino and Mina Aino and Ken's many blondes. They were   
the only kind of girls that would look at us, I thought. Tough, loud girls who wore way too much  
eye make-up, giggled and flirted 24/7 and swore too much. I liked Andy's girl Mina a lot,   
though. Her hair was natural blonde and her laugh was soft, like her china-blue eyes. She   
didn't have a real good home or anything, and she was our kind--greaser--but she was a   
really nice girl, not to mention mega-hot. Still, lots of times I wonder what other girls are like.   
The ones that are bright eyed, with soft eye make-up and had their dresses at decent lengths.   
The ones that acted like they'd like to spit on us, if given a chance. Some of them are afraid   
of us, and keeping Chad in mind, I didn't blame them. But most look at us like we're dirt--gave  
us the same kind of look that the Socs did when they came by in their Porsches (AN:  
Spelling?) and convertibles and yelled, "Grease!" at us. Sometimes I wonder about them.   
The girls, I mean. Like, do they cry when their boyfriend's are arrested, like Raye did when   
Yaten got locked up, or did they run out on them the way Lita did on Chad? But then, maybe   
their boys don't get arrested, or beaten up, or getting smashed in rodeos.   
  
I was still thinking about it that night when I was doing my homework that night. We were  
reading Great Expectations in English, and the protagonist--Pip--he reminded me of us,  
the way he he felt like he was shit because he wasn't rich. And the way that bitchy little chick  
kept looking down on him.   
  
That happened to me once. One time in biology, I had to dissect a worm and the razor  
wouldn't cut, so I pulled out my switchblade. The second I flicked it out--I forgot what I was   
doing, or I never would've done it--this girl right beside me--Ami Mizuno--kind of gasped,  
and said, "They're right! You *are* a hood." That didn't make me feel so hot. There was a   
ton of Socs in that lab--I get put in 'smart classes' cause I'm s'posed to be smart--and they  
all thought it was pretty funny. I didn't, though. She was a cute girl, looked real good in yellow.  
  
We deserve a lot of our trouble, I thought. Chad deserves everything he gets, and should  
get worse if you want the truth. And Ken--he doesn't really want or need half the shit he   
jacks from stores. He just thinks it's fun to swipe everything that isn't nailed to the floor.   
Sometimes Ken has a strange definition of fun.   
  
I can understand why Andy and Yaten get into drag races and fights so much, though--both  
of them have too much energy, with no way to blow it off.  
  
"Rub harder, Andy," I heard Seiya mumbling. "You're gonna put me to sleep."   
  
I looked through the door. Andrew was giving Seiya a massage. Seiya's always pulling  
muscles; he roofs houses and he's always trying to carry two bundles of roofing up the ladder.  
I knew Andy would put him to sleep, because he can put out anyone when he sets his mind  
on it. He thinks Seiya works too hard anyway, so do I.  
  
Seiya doesn't deserve to work like a man twice his age when he's only twenty. He had been  
so popular in high school; captain of the football team and voted Boy of the Year. But we   
just didn't have the money for him to go to college, even with the athletic scholarship he'd   
won. Now, he doesn't have the time between jobs to even consider college. So he never   
goes anywhere, never does anything anymore, except work out at gyms and maybe go   
skiing with his old friends once in awhile.  
  
I rubbed my cheek where it had turned purple. I'd looked in the mirror, and it *did* make me  
look tough. But Seiya had insisted I put a Band-aid on it.  
  
I remembered how awful Greg had looked when he got beaten up. I had as much, if not more,  
right to use the streets in my 'hood as the Socs, and Greg had never hurt them. Why did they  
hate us so much? We leave them alone. I practically went to sleep over my homework trying  
to figure it out.   
  
Andrew, who had gone to bed by this time, yelled sleepily for me to shut off the light and get  
to bed. When I finished the chapter I was on, I did.  
  
Lying beside Andy in the bed we had to share--money was too tight for more beds, Seiya  
slept on the couch--staring at the wall, I kept remembering the faces of the Socs as they  
formed a circle around me, that blue silk shirt the blonde was wearing, and I could still hear  
that doped up voice..."Need a haircut, greaser?" I shuddered.  
  
"You cold, Darien?"  
  
"A little," I lied. Andy threw one arm across my back and mumbled something drowsily.   
"Listen, kiddo, when Seiya freaks on you...He doesn't mean nothin'. He's just got more  
shit than someone his age is s'posed to. Don't take him seriously...you dig, Dare? He's  
proud of you, for real, 'cause you're so smart. It's just a-cuz you're the baby...He loves you   
a lot. Savvy?"  
  
"Sure," I mumbled, trying for Andy's sake to keep the bitter edge off my voice. "Andy?"  
  
"Ya?"   
  
"Why'd you drop out?" I never got over that; I could barely stand it when he left school.  
  
" 'Cause I'm dumb. The only thing I was even passing was auto mechanics and gym."  
  
"You're not dumb."  
  
"Yeah, I am. Shut up and I'll tell you a secret. Don't tell Seiya, though."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I think I'm gonna marry Mina. After she gets out of school and I get a better job and everything.  
I might wait till you get out of school, though. So I can still help Seiya with the bills and stuff."  
  
"Tuff enough. Wait till I get out, though, so you can keep Seiya off my back."  
  
"Don't be like that, kid. I told you he dosn't mean half of what he says."  
  
"You in love with Mina? What's it like?"  
  
"Hmm." he sighed happily. "It's real nice."  
  
I thought back to the time I thought I loved this girl named Beryl. She was *so* pretty, with long  
red hair and shiny emerald eyes,(AN: I know Beryl doesn't have green eyes, but we also  
all know that she's not pretty, at all, okay?) her body perfectly curved and seductive in the  
long tight dresses she always used to wear. Yeah, she was perfect. Too bad she was evil  
through and through. I guess it's just as well that we're through, though--Seiya didn't approve   
of her wildly sexy image.  
  
After a few moments of reflection on this, I noticed that Andy's breathing was light and  
regular. I turned my head to look at him. In the moonlight, he looked like some modern day  
Adonis come to life. I wondered how he could stand being such a hottie. Then I sighed. I   
didn't quite get what he meant about Seiya. Seiya thought I was just another mouth to feed  
and someone to yell at. Seiya love me? I thought of the hard, pale eyes. Andy was wrong   
for once, I thought. Seiya doesn't love anyone or anything, save, maybe, Andy. I barely think  
of my oldest brother as human. I don't give a shit, I lied to myself, I don't care about him   
either. Andy's enough, and I'll have him till I get out of school. I don't care about Seiya. But   
I was still lying and I knew it. I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter Two

*Lights turn on and show Angel and Chibi Angel all cuddled up in a blanket. Angel looks up  
and smilez.* Hey, everybody! So you came back, huh? Yay! *gigglez* Me and Cheebz made  
up, if it isn't obvious enough! *Chibi Angel gigglez, too.*  
  
Well, here's chapter two!!! I hope you like it. Thnx, Aqua, for the awesum review and friendship!  
Pattie, major snaps for sanding my f-a project for me! Thnx to everyone who reviewed! Oh  
ya, and this is the character list for the story--so far. I'm not quite done yet. For those of you  
who've read The Outsiders.  
  
Ponyboy--Darien  
Darry--Seiya  
Soda--Andrew  
Two-Bit--Ken  
Dally--Chad  
Johnny--Greg  
Steve--Yaten  
Cherry--Serena  
Marcia--Molly  
Sandy--Mina  
Evie--Raye  
Sylvia--Lita  
  
Well, enjoy chapter two!  
  
The Outsiders  
Chapter Two  
  
Friday night found Chad waiting for Greg and me at the corner of 95th and 96th ave. Since  
we had time to kill, we headed over to the drugstore in the mall to screw around for a bit.   
We bought Cokes and walked around, eyeing stuff out in the open, until the manager  
remembered that we were teenage boys--greasers, no less--and suggested we leave. Okay,  
maybe demanded was a better word. He was too late, though--Chad walked out with two  
packs of Players Lite under his coat.   
  
Then we went down 96th to Ecstasy, a rave that all the greasers hang out in front of. We   
rarely go in, though--Ecstasy is one dead club. Out front, though, it's a pretty rough hang-out  
and there's always a fight going on. Once, a girl even got shot--that was pretty bad. The club  
almost got shut down after that.  
  
We strode around aimlessly, talking to all the greasers and hoods that we knew. We leaned  
in car windows, hopped in back seats--we knew almost everyone there. Going down to  
Ecstacy is always a good idea because we get caught up on all the dirt--who's running away,  
who's in the slammer, who's trying to score with who, and who stole what and why. There  
was a pretty cool fight between this huge buffed-out greaser, around twenty-three, and this  
Mexican hitchhiker. We bounced as soon as the blades came out, though--the police would  
be there soon, and no one thinking clearly wants to be around when the cops show.   
  
We crossed back up to 96th and cut around Tommy--this warehouse Tommy Hilfiger store--  
and then chased a couple of elementary kids across a field for a few minutes. By then, it  
was dark enough to sneak into the Nightly Double, so we retraced our steps and climbed  
over the back fence of the drive-in theatre. It's the biggest in town--shows 10 movies a night,  
15 if it's the weekend. We all had the money to get in--it only costs four bucks if you're not  
in a car--but according to Chad, he'd "be damned" before he did things the legal way. He  
likes to show that he doesn't care if there's a law or not, and that he doesn't give a damn if  
the cops arrest him. I mean, the guy goes around *trying* to break the law.   
  
The only people there were two girls sitting way down in the front row. Chad eyed them coolly  
before striding down the aisle and sitting down directly behind them. I had a sick feeling that  
he was up to his old tricks--trying his hardest to embarrass any pretty girl he could find.  
  
I was right.  
  
He started talking, loud enough for the girls in front of us to hear. He started out bad before  
getting worse. Chad can talk pretty dirty when he wants to, and I guess he wanted to then.  
I could feel my face turning red. Ken and Yaten and even Andy would've gone right along   
with him, just to see if they could irritate or embarrass the girls, but I rarely do. I think it's   
mean and degrading to the female generation in general. So I just sat there, dumbstruck,  
and Greg made a hasty exit while mumbling about getting a Coke.  
  
I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed and ashamed if they were greaser girls--I might've even  
helped Chad. Well, maybe. Probably not, though. But the thing is, they were Socs. Real  
classy girls, dressed to kill and incredibly hot. One had short red hair, the other had long  
blonde hair in a very...Unusual style--two twin buns stuck on the top of her head, with long  
golden streamers flowing from them. They looked maybe sixteen or seventeen.   
  
The blonde was either getting really mad, or really scared. She was sitting up straight and  
chewing her gum with a snapping velocity. The other one was obviously pretending not to  
hear Chad, staring at the screen and loudly sucking on her soda. Chad started getting   
impatient, so he stuck his feet up on the back of the blonde's chair and beat his own record  
for saying something crude. The one with meatballs turned around and gave him a cool stare.  
  
"Take your overgrown feet off my chair, and shut the hell up." I gaped at her. She was this   
tiny little thing, maybe 5'5" to Chad's 6'4", but not in the least bit afraid of him. It was a little  
weird, too--seeing this little angel swearing at the infamous Chad Winston.   
  
I recognized her suddenly. Her name was Serena Tsukino and she was a cheerleader at   
my high school, real popular. She dated the first string quarterback for the football team,   
and if my brain was still functioning correctly, she was the captain of her cheering squad.   
It might've been inactive, though--my brain, I mean--because she was *so* hot. I'd always   
privately thought she was stuck up before this, but she sure didn't seem at all prick-ish.   
  
Chad simply returned her stare, not moving his feet. "Who's gonna make me, hotstuff?"  
  
The other one turned around and looked at us. "Hey, Sere, that's the greaser that jockeys  
at the Cutting Edge club sometimes," she said in a New York accent, as if we couldn't hear  
her or something.   
  
I've heard that tone so many times. "Greaser...Greaser...Greaser..." Hell, yes. I have heard  
that tone *far* too many times.   
  
*What are these two rich snobs doing here without a car?* I suddenly wonders. Sure, the  
two.were gorgeous--but way too bitchy for my tastes.   
  
"Hey, I know you two. I've seen you around rodeos." Chad said to the girls.   
  
"It's a shame you can't ride bull as well as you can talk it," snapped Serena before turning  
back around.   
  
That didn't bother Chad in the slightest. "So you barrel race, huh, sexy?"   
  
"You'd better leave us alone," Serena bit out. "Or I'll call the cops!" She pulled out a small,  
pink face-plated cell phone and gestured it wildly towards us.  
  
"Oh, my God." Chad looked bored. "You oughta see my record sometimes, baby. Guess  
what I've been in for?" he grinned slyly. "Here's a hint--starts with an r, it ends with an e, and   
it's illegal everywhere."  
  
That was a lie. Chad's never been busted for raping someone--he claims it's too evil, even   
for him, and it's definitely the truth. Besides, his little baby sister, Rini, died when she was   
ten because she got raped by this fourty year old hood. Man, did Chad beat the crap out of   
that guy--we all did, when we finally caught up with the chicken-shit bastard. We all loved   
Rini, she was such a sweet kid. (AN: I'm truly sorry, Rini fans. And I know Chad's reference   
to rape was a little crass, and definitely crude. But Dally--the character that Chad is based   
off--is definitely a crude character.)  
  
"*Please* leave us alone," Serena pleaded. "Why don't you be nice and leave us alone?"  
  
"I'm never nice." Chad grinned roguishly. "Want a Coke?"  
  
She was pissed by then. "I wouldn't drink it if I was dying of dehydration in the desert! Get  
lost, hood."   
  
Chad merely shrugged and strode off.   
  
The girl looked at me. I hate to admit it, but *damn*, was I scared of her! How embarrasing.  
Scared shitless by a five-foot cheerleader. *Hey,* my pride protested. *She's intimidated!  
Leave us alone!* But then, I'm scared shitless of all nice girls--especially Socs.   
  
"Are *you* going to start in on us?" Serena asked, crossing her arms over her surprisingly  
well developed--*stop! You hentai!* Screamed my decent side.  
  
My eyes wide, I shook my head like an obedient puppy. "N-n-no."   
  
Suddenly, she smiled. God, she was hot. "You don't look the type. What's your name, cutie?"  
  
I blushed, to my utter horror. "Darien Shields."  
  
Serena smiled. "That's a lovely name."  
  
Lovely. I haven't heard that in awhile. I guess it's an original word.  
  
I guess Serena's an original girl.  
  
"My name's Serena, but everyone calls me Sere, or Rena."   
  
"I know," I answered. "We go to the same school."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Y'all don't really look old enough to be in high school." The red-head replied.  
  
My face turned red. "I got put up a year in elementary."  
  
Serena, sensing I was uncomfortable, changed the subject. "Sometimes I'm called Rini,   
too--not much, but sometimes."   
  
I felt my face drain of color. "Rini?" Come to think of it, she did have the same unique hair  
style as Chad's baby sister. Could this be Rini, reincarnated? I gave myself a mental slap.  
*Don't be stupid. Besides, you don't believe in that stuff, Dare.*  
  
Serena and her red-headed friend were staring at me, strange expressions on their angel-  
blessed faces.   
  
"Yeah, Rini," This blonde goddess in front of me said slowly. "Are you okay, Darien? You  
look kinda...funny."  
  
Not answering her, I let my mind drift. When I told you about Rini, there was something I   
neglected to say. As I mentioned, she died when she was ten. What I didn't tell you is, I was  
only eleven at the time, and she was my girlfriend. And even though she was my first,   
(AN: Girlfriend, you hentais! GIRLFRIEND!!!) I knew I loved her. I was so sure we were meant  
to be together, but then God went and did it all again. He mocked me, taunted me--waved   
this angel in front of my face, and let me have her for a brief while, then snatched her away  
from me again. (AN: I'm sorry, that sounds so very, incredibly anti-God. I'm sorry. I truly didn't  
mean for it to sound like that...Tay? Sowy!) When she died, I felt as though a part of myself  
had been ripped from myself; something crucial--something like my soul. For weeks, I didn't  
eat or sleep, just sat staring at the wall. Twice a day, Andy would physically force something  
to drink down my throat, just so I didn't dehydrate myself and die. Finally, Seiya apparently  
got sick of watching me mope around, so one day he slapped me hard across the face and  
told me to get over Rini, that there'd be other chicks and the 'little pink-haired brat' wasn't  
coming back. Much as it stung, I had to admit he was right and got over her...Sort of. I never  
really got rid of the pain--it remained buried there, sharp slivers of glass that cut and hurt. But  
I just kept forcing the hurt down, deeper and deeper inside of me until it was just a hard, bitter  
lump in the pit of my stomach.  
  
"Darien?" I shook my head, crashing back to Earth, and looked at Serena, who was staring  
at me with concern on her face. She quickly reached out her slim, pink-polished hand and  
pressed it to my forehead. A deep shudder racked through my body, though I tried not to let  
it show. She saw, of course, though, and came to sit beside me. Once she did, a comforting  
warmth spread from my thigh--which her own was pressing up against--down to my toes,  
and then up through the rest of my body until I was all cozy and just the right temperature--  
not too hot, no longer cold.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked softly, resting her hand on my leg. A jolt ran through my leg,  
though, thankfully, this time.I didn't jerk with the force of it. Instead, it coursed through my  
veins with an intensity that startled me--I hadn't realized I could feel this way about a girl. I'd  
never felt like this, not even with Rini. Of course, we were only kids...  
  
"Darien?!" Serena's voice began to sound a little more frantic, and she shook my leg where  
she grasped it. "Are you okay?!" In front of us, her friend bolted to her feet, then stood in the  
next row uncertainly.   
  
"Molly," my own private nurse-maid angel barked at the red-head. "Go get...Management  
or whoever. I think something's really wrong! He can't seem to talk. It's like he's in shock  
or something."  
  
The Molly-formerly-known-as-Red-Head jumped over a few seats and headed towards the  
front desk. Worried, because I'd snuck in, and also because I wasn't really in need of help  
or anything, I flew to my feet and rushed over to grab her arm.  
  
"No, it's okay, Sere. I just spaced out for a minute." She smiled at the use of the nickname,  
then looked uncertain.   
  
"Well...Okay," she said at last, gesturing at us to come sit down beside her. "But you have  
to tell us if you start feeling trippy. Tight?"  
  
"Tuff enough," I answered, releasing Molly's arm and sauntering over like it was nothing big  
to sit with a couple of hot girls--Soc's, at that--in a movie theatre by myself.   
  
BY MYSELF! I checked my watch. Greg had gone to get a soda twenty minutes ago! I   
silently cursed myself for getting so involved in everything else. What if the Socs had gotten  
a hold of him? Maybe they were pissed that we were scamming on their girls. What if Greg  
was hurt? What if he was...What if he was dead?  
  
Frantically, I looked around. Molly noticed. "What's wrong?" She asked, leaning over Serena  
to tap my knee. I didn't feel the jolt of electricity this time, so I just waved my hand at her briefly.  
I had to find Greg! I jumped to my feet quickly and started to head for the concession stand.  
  
"Darien?"  
  
"Just a minute, Sere. I'll be back in a sec." I snapped impatiently, not bothering to turn around.  
I was too worried to notice that the voice was a male's.  
  
"*Darien!*"   
  
"WHAT?!" I finally snapped again, spinning around. There, standing beside a confused looking  
Serena, was Greg, turning red from supressed laughter.  
  
"You thought I was..." he sputtered. Unsure, Molly stood up and the girls started to giggle  
uncertainly.  
  
I shook my head, not finding it in the least bit funny.  
  
"Oh, come on, Dare," Greg finally gasped, coming up to me and throwing an arm around my  
shoulder. "Think about it--You're all worried about me, you start coming to find me--leaving  
these incredibly hot girls alone--" he added to me in a low voice. "Then you turn around and  
I'm behind you!" When he explained it that way, it did seem kind of funny. Really funny, in fact.  
I started to smirk, and then a chuckle worked it's way from my throat. Then suddenly I was on  
the ground, laughing hysterically with the relief that he was okay. The girls, getting the joke--I  
guess the laughter must've been contagious, 'cause the event really wasn't that funny--starting  
laughing, too--real hard. I never thought I'd see a rich, classy Soc girl, rolling around in the  
grass at the drive in.  
  
"Darien?" Serena asked suddenly awhile after we had stopped laughing and sat back down  
in our seats--Sere and Molly in the front row, me and Greg in the second.  
  
"Uh huh?"   
  
"Does your brother, work at a gas station? An Esso, I think?" I nodded. "Man, your brother  
is one doll!" (AN: I know that's not quite /01 slang, but I like it. I think it sounds neat--your   
brother is one doll! *gigglez with Cheebz*) "His name's Andrew, right? I should've guessed  
you were brothers. You look alike."   
  
I grinned with pride--I don't think I look a think like Andy, but it's not everyday I hear Soc telling  
me my brother is "one doll".   
  
"Didn't he used to ride in rodeos?" Molly asked, hanging casually over Serena's shoulder.  
  
"Uh huh," I nodded. "Dad made him quit when he broke a leg, but we still hang out around  
them lots. I've seen you two around. You're hotstuff on the barrel race." Sere blushed, but  
Molly acknoledged it with a smile, a nod, and a wink--as though she knew her and Serena  
were the hottest stuff in the race. Imagine being that sure of yourself! (AN: *Gigglez* I am  
that sure of myself. Ask Princess! All I ever talk about is how great I am. Just kidding! But  
I do it a lot. Not totally conceited, though. Honest. Really, I'm not!)  
  
"Thanks," Sere said, and Molly asked, "How come we don't see your brother at school?   
He can't be any more than sixteen or seventeen--is he?"  
  
I winced inside. I told you I can't stand it that Andy quit school. "He dropped out, I said roughly.  
Beside me, Greg was silently watching the movie. Now, he turned to pay attention, maybe  
noting my harsh voice.   
  
Before anyone could say anything, Chad came striding back with an armful of Cokes. He   
handed one to each girl and shoved me over so he could jump into the seat next to Sere.   
  
"Here, sexy," He grinned suggestively at her. "This might cool you off."  
  
Beside him, Serena shot him an incredulous look and cracked open her soda. I thought she  
was actually going to drink it, but then she dumped it over his head and said bitingly, "This   
might cool *you* off, greaser. After you wash your mouth out and learn to act decent, maybe   
I'll cool off, too." She sent him a withering glare--I truly believe anyone but Chad would've   
dropped dead on the spot.  
  
Chad wiped the Coke off his face with his sleeve and smiled dangerously. Inwardly, I   
shuddered, and I felt Greg stiffen beside me. I knew that smile, and if I were Serena I would've  
run out of there, screaming for the polic.   
  
"Fiery, eh? Good--that's the way I like 'em. Smokin' hot." He went to put his arm around her,  
but suddenly Greg spoke up.  
  
"Leave her alone, Chad."   
  
"Huh?" Chad was taken off guard, staring at Greg in disbelief. Greg can't say "Shut up!" to  
a bird, yet he'd just stood up to the toughest member of our gang. For a girl, no less. Normally,  
he's terrified around girls--in fact, the last girl he'd talked to had been Rini, when I was eleven  
and Greg was thirteen.  
  
Greg swallowed hard and the color drained from his face, but he stood his ground. "You heard  
me, Chad. Leave her alone."  
  
Chad scowled for a second. If it had been me, or anyone but Greg, he would've flattened them  
without thinking about it for five seconds. You just don't tell Chad Winston what to do. But  
Greg's the gang's pet, and he couldn't just slam him. He was Chad's pet, too.   
  
Chad got up and stormed off, with his fists jammed in his pockets and a frown on his pissed  
face. You could just tell he wanted to deck Greg, but he didn't come back.  
  
Sere sighed, sounding relieved. "Thanks. He had me scared to death."  
  
Though he himself looked scared to death, Greg managed to grin admiringly. "You sure didn't  
show it," he said in a respecting tone. "No one talks to Chad like that."  
  
The girls giggled. "From what I could see, y'all do," Molly flirted.   
  
Gred's ears were red. I was still staring at them. It took more than guts to stand up to Chad like  
that--he worshipped the ground Chad walked on, and I'd never heard him talk back to anyone.  
Much less his hero.  
  
Molly grinned at us. She was a little bigger than Sere. She was cute, but that Serena Tsukino  
was a real Betty. "Y'all sit up here. I'm thinkin' you could protect us, while y'all and us are waitin'   
to see if he'll come back."  
  
Greg looked at me, his eyebrows raised. *Would we ever have a story to tell the boys!* His  
eyes clearly said. We had picked up two girls, and classy ones at that, mo greaser-girls like  
Lita and Raye for us, but Socs! Andy would go postal when I flicked that bit of information at  
him. (AN: Eek! Sowy, L & R fans! *sniff* I hope I don't lose readers from my burns. :( I love  
them both, too.)  
  
"Okay," I said, as if it was an everyday occurance that two gorgeous Socs asked us to sit  
with them.   
I took the seat Chad had previously occupied, and Greg sat, shyly, next to Serena.  
  
"How old are y'all?" Molly drawled languildly.  
  
"Fourteen," I replied.   
  
"I'm sixteen," Greg added quietly.  
  
"Really?" she asked in disbelief. "I thought y'all were both--"  
  
"Sixteen." Sere finished firmly, and I shot a grateful look at her. She'd immediately picked up  
on Greg's insecurity--he looked fourteen and he knew it. It pissed him off, bad.   
  
He grinned. "How come you weren't scared of us, like you were of Chad?"  
  
Sere sighed. "You and Darien are too sweet to hurt anyone. Besides, you didn't join in when  
he was bad mouthing us, and you made him leave us alone. Then, when we asked you to  
sit with us, you didn't act like it was an invitation to mack for the rest of the night."  
  
"Not to mention," Molly added, "We've heard about Chad Winston's reputation. We've heard  
nothin' 'bout y'all. Y'all must be way different greasa's then him. Plus, y'all just don't look mean,  
y'all dig?" (AN: Y'all, y'all, y'all... *Giggle*)  
  
"Sure," I murmured, a little pissed. "We're too young and innocent."  
  
"No, not innocent." Serena cast me a searching glance. "You've seen too much to be innocent.  
Just...Not 100% evil."  
  
"Chad's okay," Greg said defensively, and I agreed as I crossed my arms over my chest.  
Even if you don't like someone in your gang, you stand up for them. If we didn't, we'd be as  
bad as Amara and Jedite Tenous's gang--twins, respectively, a girl and a guy, that ran an  
outfit hard as nails. They were hoods more than greasers, but we got along fine most of  
the time. I like Amara just fine, for a hood girl--she's tough and knows how to keep her mouth  
shut good. One time, a guy slipped me crack and I didn't know what it was. Almost got busted  
for possession, but she took the knock for me. Said she didn't want me getting hard like all  
the others, and I've kind of thought of her as a sister since. She's always there for me when  
I need to talk, although she sometimes get pissed at our gang and smashes me one good.  
Their group backstabs and gossips, and we can't figure it out--how they stay together, I mean.  
But they do, and they're good to have in a fight against the Socs.  
  
"He'd leave you alone if he knew you," I told Sere, which was true. When Yaten's cousin came  
down from California, he watched his mouth and treated her decent. We all do around cousin  
and sisterly type chicks. I can't explain it, 'cause I don't really get it. We try to be nice to those  
kinds of girls, but when we see a nice chick on the street, we'll say all kinds of bad shit about  
her. At least, the others do. Me and Greg try and stay out of it.   
  
"Well," Molly said with finality, "I'm glad he's gone. I didn't like him."  
  
"I kinda admire him," Sere said softly--so softly only I heard--and we settled down to watch  
the movie.  
  
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We found out why they were there.with no car--they'd come with   
their boyfriends, but walked out when the boys got drunk and started feeling them up. The  
guys got pissed and left. I felt a little disappointed that Serena had a boyfriend, until I shook  
myself. *What's up, man? She's just some random hot chick, you just met her. Don't tell me  
you're falling in love with her!* The macho part of me laughed loudly, as if to show what a   
dumb idea it was. *Why not?* Insisted a quieter part of me--my heart, I assumed. *She's real  
pretty, super nice...Why shouldn't we like her?* Mr. Macho couldn't answer that one, so he   
slunk into a dark corner, admitting defeat...For now.  
  
"I don't care if they did leave," Serena said, sounding pissed. "It's not my idea of a good   
time, sitting in a drive-in and watching guys get drunk before attempting to rape me."  
  
You could tell by the way she said it that her idea of a good time was probably high class and  
real expensive, but they'd decided to stay and watch the movie anyway. It was one of those  
beach-party blankets with no plot and bad acting, but it had lots of girls.in bikinis and some  
decent songs, so it was aight. The four of us were sitting there in silence, when suddenly a  
strong hand came down on Greg's shoulder, and another one on mine, and a deep voice   
said, "Aight, greasers, you've had it!"  
  
I almost ran screaming for the hills. It was like having someone jump out from behind a door  
and scream "BOO!" at you.  
  
I looked, scared shitless, over my shoulder, and there was Ken grinning like that stupid cat  
in Alice in Wonderland.   
  
"God, Ken, scare me shitless or what?" He's phat at voice imitations and had sounded for  
the Gods of me like a snarling Soc, foaming at the mouth. Then I looked at Greg. His eyes  
were shut and he was white as a ghost, his breath coming in smothered gasps. Ken knew  
better than to scare him like that, but I guess he forgot. He can be kind of a dumbass at times.  
  
Greg opened his eyes, weakly, and said in a quiet voice, "Hey, Ken."  
  
Ken tousled his hair. "Sorry, kid, I forgot."  
  
He climbed over the chair and landed with a low thud next to Molly. "Who's this, your   
great-aunts?"  
  
"Great-grandmothers, twice removed," Cherry shot back smoothly.   
  
I couldn't tell if he was drunk or not, it's kind of hard to tell with him. He acts smashed when  
he's sober sometimes.  
  
He raised an eyebrow like he does when somethings puzzling him, or bothering him or if  
he just feels like saying something smart.  
  
"Damn, girl, you're a ninety-six if you're out of a hundred." He directed to the red-head on  
his left.  
  
"I'm out of ninety-six," Molly replied brightly.  
  
Ken stared at her admiringly. "Damn, you're a hot one. How'd y'all ever get picked up by   
m' little boys like Dari and Greggie here?"  
  
I groaned. He's always calling me Dari. "Ke-en..."  
  
"*We* picked them up," Molly asserted. "We're really Arabian slave traders and we're   
thinkin' about jackin' y'all--y'all worth at least ten camels each."   
  
"Five," Ken disagreed. "None of us talk Arabian, I don't think. Say something in Arabian,  
Greggie-Greg." Ken and his nicknames.  
  
"Aw, shove it..." Greg broke in. "Chad was bugging them and when he left they wanted us  
to sit with them and protect them. Against smart-ass greasers like you, probably."  
  
Ken grinned, because Greg never gets insolent like that. We actually think we're doing good  
if we get him to talk at all.   
  
"Where is Chad, anyways?"  
  
"He went looking for some action, I guess--booze or chicks or fights or all of the above. I   
hope he doesn't get jalied again; he just got out."  
  
"He'll find the fight," Ken stated cheerfully. "S'why I came over, Amara and Jedite are looking  
for whoever slashed their car's tires, and since their little brother--y'all remember Zoicite,   
right?--saw Chad doing it...well...Does he have a blade?  
  
"Don't think so," I amended. "He's got a piece of pipe--I think--but he busted his blade this  
morning.   
  
"Good. Amara will make Jed fight fair if Chad doesn't pull a blade on them; he shouldn't have  
any trouble.  
  
Sere and Molly were staring at us, their lip-glossed mouths hanging open. "You don't believe  
in playing rough or anything, do you?" Serena asked sarcastically.  
  
"A fair fight ain't rough," Ken said. "Blades are rough, and so are chains, guns, pool sticks,   
and rumbles. But skin figthing isn't rough, it just blows off steam. Nothing wrong with throwing  
a few punches. Socs are rough. They gang up on one or two, or they rumble each other with  
their social clubs. Us greasers stick together, but when we do fight against each other; it's  
a fair fight between two. Besides, Chad deserves whatever he gets, 'cause slashed tires  
aren't a joke when you've gotta work to pay for them. He got caught, too, and that was his  
fault. Our one rule, besides Stick Together, is Don't Get Caught. He might get beat up, he  
might not. Either way, there's not going to be any blood feud between our gang and the  
Tenou's. If we needed them tomorrow, they'd show. If Jed smashes Chad's head in, then  
asks us tomorrow for help in a fight, we'd show. Chad was getting kicks, he got caught, he  
pays up. No sweat." Finished his little tirade speech, Ken sat back and crossed his arms  
over his buff chest.  
  
"Oh yeah," Serena said sardonically. "Real simple.  
  
"Besides," Molly added cynically--unconcerned by the whole deal. "If he.gets killed or   
something, you just bury him. No sweat."  
  
"You dig okay, baby." Ken grinned and lit a cigarette. "Anyone want a smoke?"   
  
I looked at Ken admiringly. He sure puts stuff into words good. Maybe he was still a junior  
at eighteen and a half, and maybe his sideburns are too long, andm aybe he does get drunk   
too much, but he understands shit.  
  
Sere and Molly shook their heads at his offering of a smoke, but Greg and I reached for one.  
Speaking of Greg, his color was back and his breathing was regular, but his hand was   
shaking ever so slightly. A cigarette would steady it.  
  
"Darien, could you come with me to get some popcorn?" Serena asked.  
  
I leapt up, only too willing, and tossed down the smoke. I probably would've jumped off a   
cliff if she asked me to, I was that gone on her at that moment.   
  
"Sure!" I blurted, maybe a bit too enthusiastically. "You guys want any?"  
  
"I do," Molly replied. She was finishing the Coke Chad had gaven her. I realized then that   
Sere and Molly weren't alike. Serena said she wouldn't drink it if she was dying, and she   
meant it. It was the principal of the thing. But Molly didn't see a reason to throw away a free  
drink.  
  
"Me, too," said Ken. He tossed a ten at me. "Get Greg some, too. I'm buying," he added  
as Greg started to reach into the pockets of his jeans.  
  
Serena and I headed over to the snack stand, and as usual, there was a huge line so we had  
to wait. Lots of kids turned to look at us--you don't see a greaser kid and a Soc cheerleader  
hanging out much. Sere didn't seem to notice as she asked me, "Your friend--with the side-  
burns--he's okay?"  
  
"He's not dangerous like Chad if that's what you mean. He's aight."   
  
She smiled, but her eyes were distracted. "Greg...He's been hurt bad sometime, hasn't he?"  
It was more of a statement than a question. "Hurt and scared..."  
  
"It was the Socs," I told her in as low a voice as i could manage--there was lots of Socs  
hanging around and a lot of them were giving me pointed looks, like I shouldn't be there with  
Serena. And besides, I don't like to talk about it--Greg getting beat up, I mean. But I started   
talking, faster than normal because I don't like to think about it either.  
  
"It was around four months ago. I walked down to the Esso station to see Yaten and Andy,  
'cause they'll always buy me a couple of bottles of pop and let me help them work on cars.  
I don't like to go on weekends, 'cause then there's always a bunch of girls down there flirting  
with Andy--Socs, too--,and I'm not gone on girls yet. Andy says I'll grow out of it; he did." I  
chuckled to myself--now I was gone on a girl, too. How ironic.  
  
"It was a real nice spring day, the sun shining and all that, but it was a little cold and kind of  
dark by the time we left for home. We were walking, 'cause Yaten's car's brakes were shot  
and we'd left it at the station. At the corner of our blcok, there's this big field where we play  
football and chill. It's a good place for rumbles and fights. We were passing it, kicking rocks  
down the street and swigging out of our last Pepsi's. Then Yaten noticed something lying  
on the ground and picked it up. It was Greg's jean jacket, the only jacket he had.  
  
" 'Looks like Greg forgot his coat again,' Andy said casually as Yaten slung it over his   
shoulder. He stopped in his tracks beside me and stared, deadly pale, at the rust-colored   
stain on the jacket's collar. A few feet ahead of us, Andy stopped, turned around, and looked  
at us.   
  
" 'What's wrong?' Andy asked easily before noticing our faces, drained of color. 'Yaten?   
Dare? What's wrong?!' he reiterated, stepping towards us.  
  
"Wordlessly, Yaten held up the the jacket for Andy's inspection. Almost immediately, his   
face, too, went ghostly white and his eyes searched our faces frantically. 'Is that...?' He   
licked his dry lips, his voice strange and hoarse.  
  
"Slowly, Yaten and I nodded. I was staring at the ground, and I guess Andy noticed my jaw  
drop open. 'Dare?! What is it?!' He grabbed my arm and shook me, then followed my gaze.  
Blood--Greg's blood--was staining the ground. I think we all heard the groan and saw the  
motionless body at the same time, and we were off running. Suddenly, the whole gang was  
there. Seiya had seen us from the porch of our house and came sprinting. Ken was there,  
and for once his face was serious as we dashed towards Greg's deadly still body.   
  
"Andy reached him first, and gently turned him over. I took a deep breath and willed myself  
not to puke, and Seiya grabbed me and roughly shoved my face into his jacket. I guess he   
didn't want me to see my best friend like that.  
  
"We've all seen Greg messed up before--his dad gets pissed and hits him sometimes--but  
those times were nothing like this. His face was cut up, bruised, swollen--you name it. There  
was a huge gash stretching from his cheekbone up to his temple. He still has that scar; Seiya  
says he always will. He had on a white T-shirt. I can still see it, all covered in blood, splattered  
with red.   
  
"I just stood there, shuddering with sudden fear. I was cold, *so* cold. I was sure he must be  
dead--how could anyone take a smashing like that and still be alive? Yaten's eyes closed  
and he muffled a groan as he fell onto his knees beside Andy. Chad was there, too. He  
swore under his breath, and turned away looking sick. I remember thinking, *Hey, this is  
weird. Chad's seen people brutally killed and gang beaten on the streets of West Side  
New York; he'd even been the cause of some of them. So why did he look sick now?  
  
" 'Greg? Hey, Greggie-Gregs,' Andy lifted him up and gave the limp body a gentle shake.  
I guess that nickname isn't so uncommon.   
  
"Greg didn't open his eyes, but he managed a soft question. 'Andy?'   
'Yeah, it's me. Don't talk, you're gonna be okay.'   
'There was a whole bunch of them,' Greg told us, ignoring my brother's command. "A blue  
Ford full of them, even the trunk (AN: You know, on trucks, that giant thingy in the back that's  
soooo much fun to sit in?). I was so scared...' He tried to curse, but suddenly started crying  
and fighting to control himself, then sobbing all the more since he couldn't. I wish he hadn't;  
it made me even more freaked out. I've seen him take a slam froma two-by-four by his old  
man and not even cry out. It made him worse to see him break down now.   
  
"Andy just held him and pushed Greg's hair out of his eyes. 'It's aight, Greggie-Gregs. They're  
gone now, it's okay." (AN: I know the nickname is retarded, but give me a break. In the book,  
they call him Johnnycake. It's HARD to come up with a nickname for Greg!!!)   
  
"Finally--between sobs--he finally choked out his story. He'd been looking for our football to  
practice a few kicks when the blue Ford pulled up, around ten Socs in it. He tried to run, but  
they caught him and one had lots of rings on his hand. That's what cut him up so bad. It wasn't  
just that they'd smashed him half to death; Greg could've taken that. They scared him. They  
threatened him with everything in this world.  
  
"He's my best friend and I know he was already highstrung, but they made it so much worse.  
I wanted to *kill* those Socs!" I punched my palm with my fist, a little scared of my aggressiveness.  
"Nervous wreck from getting beaten everytime he turned around; and from hearing his 'rents  
fight all the time. I don't know why the hell those two didn't just get a divorce.  
  
"Living like that probably would've turned anyone else bitter and hard, like Chad; but instead  
it was killing Greg. He's never been a coward, and he's a good man in a rumble. He sticks  
up for the gang, and keeps his mouth shut good around the cops. But after that night, he  
was jumpier than ever. I don't think he'll ever entirely get over it--he won't even walk by himself  
to the corner now. And Greg, the most law-abiding out of all of us...Now carries a blade in  
his back pocket. A six-inch blade, no less. He'd use it, too, if he ever got jumped again--they  
scared him that bad, Sere! He'd kill the next person who jumped him. No one's ever gonna  
beat him like that again, not over his dead body. Which is just what I'm afraid of."  
  
I'd almost forgotten Serena was listening to me, and when I came crashing back down to   
Earth I was amazed to find her dead-white.  
  
"All Socs aren't like that!" she begged frantically. "You've got to believe me, Darien. Not all  
of us are like that!"  
  
I was surprised by her outburst, and covered it like I always do--cynicism. "Sure," I muttered  
sarcastically.  
  
"That's like saying all you greasers are like Chad Winston. I'd bet my cheerleading   
captainship that he's jumped a few people," Serena pleaded, sounding strangely desperate.  
I wondered: Why did my opinion matter so much to her? Could it be...She felt--at least a  
little--like I do? Could she possibly like me? Mentally, I shook myself. *Don't be stupid, Darien.  
She's a Soc.*  
  
I remembered the horrifying stories Chad had told us about the muggings in New York, the  
gruesome tales he seemed to enjoy telling us.   
  
She was right. Not all of us were like that.  
  
Serena no longer looked sick. Just sad. "I guess you think us Socs have it made. We're rich  
kids, the West side Socs. I'll tell you something, Darien, and it might come as a surprise.   
We've got troubles you've never even thought of. You wanan know something?" She looked  
at me, straight in the eye. "Things are rough all over." I couldn't help thinking how incredibly  
similar she was to Rini--my first girlfriend never let me get away with saying something she   
thought wasn't right.  
  
"I believe you," I murmured, touching her arm to try and placate her. A jolt of electricity ran   
through me at the touch of her silky skin, and I wondered if she felt it, too. A resounding gasp  
coming from her assured me she did.  
  
I was staring at my grip on her arm before I snatched my hand away like I'd been burned.  
  
"Come on," I said, my voice strangely low and gruff. "We'd better get back out there with  
the popcorn, or Ken's gonna think I ran off with his money."  
  
We went back and watched the movie in silence. Molly and Ken were hitting it off fine; both  
had the same twisted sense of humor. But Sere and Greg and I just sat there, staring at the  
screen and not talking. I stopped worrying about everything and thought about how nice it was  
to sit with a girl without having to listen to her swear every other word, or to have to practically  
force her off with a forklift. I know Greg liked it, too. He doesn't talk to chicks much. Once,  
when Chad was in reform school, Lita started hanging all over him and sweettalking him.   
Then Yaten got ahold of her and told her if she tried to pull her shit on Greg, he'd personally  
kick her ass. He would've done it, too. Then he gave Greg a lecture on girls and how a   
sneaky little slut like Lita would get him into tons of trouble. After that, he didn't talk to girls  
much, but I'm not sure if that's 'cause he's scared of Yaten or 'cause he's shy. (AN: Urg!  
There's another burn! -_-6 I'M SO SOWY! I'm gonna apologize EVERY time someone gets  
insulted.)  
  
I know what the lecture said, in jist, because I got the same talk from Ken when we picked   
up a couple of chicks downtown one day. I thought it was funny, because girls are one subject  
even Seiya thinks I use my head about. And it really *was* hysterical, because Ken was  
half-smashed when he gave me the talk, and he told me some stories that made me wanna  
crawl into a hole, or something--especially since he was shouting them out in the middle of  
a busy street. But he'd been talking about girls like Lita and the sluts he and Chad and the  
rest pick up at drive-ins and downtown, not about Soc girls. So I figured it was aight to be  
sitting with them. Even if they did have their own problems, I couldn't really see what the Socs  
would have to worry about--good grades, good cars, good girls, silk, Porches, and convertibles...  
Damn, I thought, if I had problems like that, I'd consider myself a god.  
  
I know better now.  
  
  
IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!!! It took like 100 years, because I have to base this off the book, so  
I'm sitting here with The Outsiders in front of me... Urgh. *gigglez and sweatdrops* Anyway,  
me and Cheebz have to apologize for all the cuts on Lita and Raye, right, Cheebz? *silence*  
A-hem! Chibi-Angel! *Elbows C-A in the ribs and C-A jerks awake* -_-6 Cheebz, just bcuz  
it's almost 1 a.m. does *not* mean you can be sleeping on the job! Baby, I'll put you to bed   
soon! *Pushes one of Cheebz's blonde pigtails away from her blue eyes and smilez fondly  
at her* I promise. Aight, so, let's say we're sorry, okay? *C-A nods* On 3!  
One! *Chibi holds up a finger* Two! *Chibi puts up another* THREE! *Chibi raises the third  
and gigglez out," We're sowy! *Both Angels grin* Very sowy. Peaz don't get mad? Peaz,  
peaz, peaz come back? Peaz review? PITY peaz???  
  
Oh, and when I say it's finally done...I mean Ch. 2, not the story. *gigglez* Peace!  
  
\\//  
(---) 


	3. Chapter Three

Hey, everyone! Back already! *Chibi Angel gigglez* I just posted Ch.2 this morning! With  
any luck, I'll be done by the end of the night. *Both Angels cross their fingers* I know my  
other stories are suffering. The truth is, I've had the next 2 chapters to Runaway done since  
Tuesday the 24th. But I was sick on Thursday and Wednesday, and we had Friday off bcuz  
of a pd day, and my notebook is at school. So, sorry, and I'll have them up by Monday night  
I hope.   
  
The Outsiders  
Chapter Three  
  
When the movie finished, it suddenly occured to us that Serena and Molly didn't have a way  
to get home. Since the West side was only about twenty miles away, Ken acted like a   
gentleman and offered to walk them home, but they wanted to call their parents and have them  
send their chauffeurs to get them. Finally, Ken talked them into letting us drive them home in  
his car. I think they were still half-scared of us, although they were getting over it as we   
walked to Ken's house to get his car. It seemed trippy to me that Socs--at least, if these   
girls were good examples--were just like us. They like the Backstreet Boys and think  
Eminem is *so* last year, and we think that BSB sucks and Eminem is tuff, but that seemed  
like the only difference. Aight, well, greaser girls would've acted way tougher and swore  
more, but there was a basic similarity. I decided it must be cash that separated us.  
  
"No..." Sere said slowly when I said that to her. "It's not just money. I mean, part of it is, but   
that's not all of it. Greasers have different values; you're more emotional. We're hard, cool   
to the point of not feeling anything. Nothing's real with us--you know, sometimes I'll catch   
myself talking to a girlfriend and realize I don't mean half of what I say. I don't really think a   
keg-party is dope, but I'll go on and on about one to a girlfriend just to be saying something."   
She smiled at me. "You're the first person I've told that. I think you're the first one who's ever  
really gotten through to me."  
  
I was getting through to her all right, probably because I was a greaser and a little younger  
than her; she didn't have to keep her guard up around her.   
  
"Have you ever heard of having more than you want?" Serena asked. I had, and I nodded,  
although I'd always thought it sounded stupid. How could you have more than you wanted?  
  
"So that you can't want anything else, and you start looking for something else to want? It's  
like we're always trying to find something to satisfy us, but we never can. Maybe...Maybe if  
we could spazz once in awhile, we could." She finished.   
  
I guess it was true; Socs are always behind a wall of ice. Being careful not to let their real  
selves show. I saw a social-club rumble once. They even fight cold, practical, and impersonally.  
  
"That's why we're separated," I agreed. "It's not money, it's emotions--you don't feel anything,  
and we feel too violently."  
  
"And--" she was trying to hide her adorable, red-hot, sexy--wait, what am I thinking?--grin,  
"--that's probably why we take turns getting our names in the paper."  
  
Ken and Molly weren't even listening to us; they were *that* engaged in some wildly exciting  
conversation that made no sense to anyone but themselves.  
  
I've got a big rep for being quiet, almost as quiet as Greg. Ken always says that he wonders  
why me and Greg are such good buddies. "You must make such exciting information," he'd  
drawl, doing his infamous raising of the eyebrow. "You keeping your mouth shut, and Greg  
not saying anything." But Greg and I understand each other with no words, and no one but  
Andy could really get me talking. Not since Rini. Until I met Sere Tsukino.  
  
I wondered why I could talk to her as I shuffled along; maybe it was for the same reason that  
she could talk to me. I couldn't believe it when I started telling her about Mickey Mouse, Andy's  
horse. I've never told anyone about Andy's horse; it was personal.  
  
"Andy had this buckskin horse, except it wasn't his, It belonged to this guy who kept it at the  
stables where my brother used to work. Mickey Mouse was Andy's horse, though. The first  
time he saw him he said, 'That's my horse, Darien,' and I never doubted it. I was around  
ten then, I think. Anyway, Andy's horsecrazy. I mean it. He's always hanging around rodeos,  
hopping on a horse everytime he gets a chance.   
  
"When I was ten, I used to think the two of them looked alike--*were* alike. Mickey Mouse was  
dark-gold, a real smart ass and bad-tempered, too. He'd come when Andy called him, but  
he wouldn't come for anyone else. He loved Andy; he'd just stand there and chew on his  
sleeve or collar. Damn, but my brother was crazy about that horse. He'd go down to see him  
everyday. I didn't really get it--I mean, Mickey Mouse was a *mean* horse. He was always  
kicking other horses and getting into trouble. 'I've got me an ornery pony," Andy would say   
as he rubbed the horse down after he was rode. "How come you're such a jerk, Mick?"  
Mickey Mouse would just chew on his sleeve, and sometimes try to gently bite him. He  
might've belonged to another guy, but he was Andrew's horse for sure, Serena."  
  
"Does Andy still have him?" Sere asked.  
  
"He got sold," I mumbled. "One day, they just came and took him off. He was a real valuable  
horse; pure quarter."  
  
She didn't say anything else, and I was grateful. How could I tell her that Andy sobbed all  
night long after they came and got his horse? She'd think it was stupid, crying over a horse  
that wasn't even yours... Then again, maybe she wouldn't. She was different from other Socs.  
  
I cried, too, if you want to the truth. All Andy ever wanted was a horse, and he'd lost his. He'd  
been twelve at the time, almost thirteen. He never let Mom and Dad know how he felt, though,  
'cause money was tight and we had enough trouble just keeping the few possessiosn we   
had. When you're thirteen in our neighborhood you know what goes down.  
  
I saved my money for a year, thinking that someday I could buy Andy his horse back. I guess  
ten year olds can be kind of dumb. Rini thought it was sweet, though, so I got my first kiss.  
  
"You read a lot, don't you, Darien?" Serena asked suddenly.  
  
Startled, I shook my head yes. "Yeah, why?"  
  
She sort of shrugged, and her beautiful blue eyes were soft. "I could just tell. I bet you watch  
sunsets, too." She was quiet for a moment after I nodded. She was staring at the ground.  
"I used to watch them, too, before I got so busy..." When she raised her head, I was shocked  
to see them sad and sparkling with crystal tears. I rested my hand on her shoulder, not knowing  
what else to do. Like I said, I don't have much experience in comforting girls. The only chicks  
I've really hung out with wouldn't cry in front of you for the life of them, they save their heartbreaking  
tears for later, while they're waiting for sleep to come, alone in their lonely rooms.   
  
Serena rested her head on my shoulder, and I nearly jumped a foot in the air. Thankfully, I  
caught myself in time.   
  
It's kind of uncomfortable to have your hand on someone's shoulder when they're leaning   
against you, so I withdrew it and hesitantly wrapped my arm around her waist. Somewhere  
in her own safe world, Serena sighed wistfully.  
  
I tried to picture her watching the sun set. Maybe she stood still and watched it set when  
she was supposed to be taking the garbage out. Stood there and watched, forgetting   
everything until her big brother screamed at her to hurry up. I gave myself a mental shake,  
snapping myself out of this dreamy world. It was weird to think that the sunset she saw from  
her patio and the one I saw my back steps was the same one. Maybe...Maybe the two  
different worlds we live in aren't so different...I mean...We see the same sunset.  
  
Behind us, Molly suddenly gasped. "Oh, shit! Sere, look! Look who's comin'!" She sounded  
strangely worried.  
  
We all looked, and saw a blue Ford coming down the street. Greg made a weird sound in  
his throat, and when I looked at him he was white and looked like he might pass out.  
  
Molly was shifting nervously. "Sere, what are we gonna do???"  
  
Serena bit one of her pink-painted nails, then quickly jerked it from her mouth. "Stand here,"  
she said. "What else can we do?"  
  
"Who is it?" Ken asked, smart-ass as usual. "Agent Scully and Mulder? You two on the run  
from the law?"  
  
"No," Serena said flatly. "It's Sapphire and Diamond." (AN: I know it's Saffier, or Saphir, and  
Dimando, but I think Sapphire and Diamond are kew together since they're both gems.   
*gigglez*)  
  
"Your boyfriends?" Greg's voice was steady, but I was standing real close to him and I could  
feel him trembling. I wondered why--I mean, he's jumpy, but never *that* jumpy.  
  
"And," I added grimly, "A few of the other snobby ass--excuse me, socially elite young men--  
set." As intended, my cut earned a faint smile from Sere.  
  
Serena started walking down the street. "Maybe they won't see us; they're probably drunk  
by now. Act normal."  
  
"Who's acting?" Ken grinned. "I'm natural, 100%."  
  
"Wish it was the other way around," I muttered, and Ken playfully hit the side of my head.  
  
"Don't get mouthy, Dari." he said.  
  
The Ford passed by, slowly, and kept going. Molly sighed in relief. "That was close," she  
murmured in her cute accent, looking at Ken from beneath her long eyelashes and leaning   
against him in feigned weakness. He grinned and tightened his arm around her, even   
though I know he knew what kind of game she was playing. Molly giggled towards Sere,  
who rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.  
  
Serena turned back to me. "Tell me about your oldest brother, Darien. You haven't said much  
about him."  
  
I tried to think of something to say, and felt ashamed when I couldn't find something to say  
about my own brother, so I fumbled desperately for a calm mask so I could shrug it off.   
  
"What's to talk about? He's buff and girls think he's hot, and he likes to play football."  
  
Serena rolled her eyes again, but at me this time. "I mean, what's he like? I feel like I know  
Andy from what you said about it. Help me with Seiya."  
  
I stayed silent, so she elbowed me gently. "Is he wild, like Soda? Dreamy, like you?"  
  
My face got hot, I bit my lip. Seiya...What the hell was Seiya like? If you want the truth, it   
scared me a little that I couldn't think of a single thing to say about my brother, my guardian...  
Seiya's practically my dad. He's worked *so* hard to take care of us... I...  
  
"Damn! He's not like Andy at all, and he sure as hell isn't like me!" I burst out bitterly. I tried  
to choke back the words, but they were tripping over themselves in their rush to get out. All  
the frustration I'd ever felt towards my brother came storming out in one wild release. "He's  
like a rock, hard and cold and inhuman. He's got eyes exactly like blue-green ice, and he   
thinks I'm a solid pain. He loves Andy--everyone loves Andy--but he can't stand me. I  
know he wishes he could shove me in a foster home somewhere, and damn it if he wouldn't  
do it if Andy would let him. I hate him sometimes!"  
  
Ken and Greg were staring at me now. "No..." Ken said. He was dumfounded. "Darien, it  
isn't like that, it isn't like that at all! You've got it wrong..." Sere was gazing at me, with her  
pink-glossed lips falling open and her crystal-moonlight eyes wide as they regarded me.  
Molly had stopped and was looking at everyone, seeming confused.  
  
"Wow," Greg said softly. "I thought you and Seiya and Andy got along really well..."  
  
"Well, we don't." I snapped. I felt like an idiot and I knew my ears were red by the way they  
were burning. I was thankful for the curtain of darkness that hid the blush from their view.   
Compared to Greg's home, mine was heaven. Seiya never gets drunk and beats me up,  
or force me out of the house. And I always have Andy to stop him when he does go on a   
trip, and I can talk stuff over with him, too.   
  
That pissed me off--making an idiot out of myself in front of everyone, including the girl I   
was rapidly becoming infatuated with, I mean. "And you can shut the hell up, Greg Cade,   
'cause we all know you aren't wanted at home, either. Can you blame your parents?"   
  
  
Greg's eyes went even bigger than usual and he cringed as if I'd socked him. I felt like leaving  
my body to kill myself for my harsh words, and Ken slapped me, hard, across the side of the  
head.  
  
"Shut your mouth, kid. If you weren't Andy's kid brother, I'd beat the shit out of you. You know  
better than to talk to Greg like that." He put his hand on Greg's shoulder. "He didn't mean it,  
Gregs." (AN: Another nickname. LoL. At least it's better than Greggie Gregz. *giggle*)   
  
"I'm sorry, man." I said, miserable. Greg's my bst friend. "I was just pissed."   
  
"It's the truth," Johnny said with a forced grin. "I don't care."  
  
"You shut up, too, kid." Ken said, tousling Greg's carefully gelled hair. "We couldn't get along  
without you, you know that."  
  
"Damn it, It's not fair!" I hissed suddenly. "Why the hell do we get the sucky end of everything?"  
I don't know exactly what I meant, but I was thinking of Greg's dad being a drunk bastard and  
his mom being a selfish bitch. I was thinking of Ken's mother, driven to the streets to try to  
support him and his little sister after their father took off. And Chad--wild, reckless Chad--  
turning into a 'hood because he'd die if he didn't, and his face when the doctor told us Rini  
was gone. Yaten, his hatred for his father coming out in his quiet-but-deadly voice, the violence  
of his temper. Andrew...My brother...Dropping out of school so he could get a job and keep  
me in school. And Seiya, damnit, Seiya... Getting old so far before his time, trying to hold us  
all together, keeping two jobs, never having any fun. Trying to keep me and Andy out of   
trouble so we won't get split up...  
  
I thought of the Socs and a rare anger filled me. While Seiya worked, and worked, and worked,  
they had so much spare time and money, they jumped us for fun. Had keg-parties with $100  
kegs, because they didn't know what else to do. Serena was right, things were rough all over.  
All over the East side, my home. It just didn't seem right.  
  
"I know," Ken said with his trademark grin. "Everything sucks when it's our turn, but it's how   
shit is. What can we do?"  
  
Sere and Molly remained silent; I guess they felt out of place and didn't know what to say  
We'd almost forgotten they were there, and I felt stupider than ever, going on and on about  
how bad we had it in front of these spoiled-but-sweet girls.  
  
I heard a choking noise beside me and half-turned. Greg was staring down the street, pale  
again. I followed his gaze and cursed. "Shit." The blue Ford was coming down the street  
again, slower this time.  
  
"Damn," Sere swore in resignation. "They spotted us." I realized, absently, that had been   
the first time she cursed all night, and I smiled faintly, again thinking of Raye and Lita.  
  
The Ford came to a screeching stop beside us, and I fought the urge to cover my ears. The  
two guys in front climbed out. They were Socs, all right--one had a white shirt and a country  
club polo team jacket on, and the other had a cashmere blue sweater on. I looked at their  
expensive clothing and realized for the first time that all I had on was a pair of holey jeans  
and an old, navy-blue sweatshirt of Andy's with the sleeves cut off. I swallowed hard. Beside   
me, Ken started to tuck in his shirttail, but stopped himself in time. Instead, he flipped up  
the collar of his black leather jacket and lit a smoke. The Socs didn't even appear to see us.  
  
"Sere, Molly, listen to us..." This guy with black hair, the kind of guy Raye would call hot, began.  
  
Greg was breathing hard, as if he was having trouble getting enough air. I followed his gaze  
again and saw that he was staring at the Soc's hand. He was wearing 3 heavy rings.  
I looked quickly at Greg, realization dawning on my face. I remembered it was a blue Ford  
that had pulled up beside the vacant lot, and that Greg's face had been cut up by someone  
wearing rings. Serena caught the stricken expression on my face and her eyes searched  
mine until I used my hand to gesture, almost imperceptively, at the guy's hand. Her blue eyes  
widened, and the same horrified look crossed her face.   
  
The Soc's voice broke into my thoughts. "...Just 'cause we got a little drunk last time..."  
  
Sere looked pissed. "A *little*? You call weaving and passing out in the streets a *little*?!  
Diamond, I told you. I'm never, ever gonna go out with you when you're drunk. It's me or the   
damage." (AN: Damage being alchohol.)   
  
The other Soc--Sapphire, I assume, since the other one was Diamond--a tall guy with a  
haircut that reminded me of that dope group from like the seventies--you know, the Beatles?  
Anyway, he turned to face Molly.  
  
"Baby, you know we don't get drunk very often..." He whined. She didn't respond, just gave  
him a cold, hard stare. He got pissed. "And even if you are pissed at us, that's no reason to  
go walking in the streets with these freaks."  
  
Ken took a long drag on his smoke, Greg slouched and hooked his thumbs in the tops of   
his pockets, and I stiffened. We can look meaner than Stone Cold when we want to, and   
looking tough comes in handy sometimes. Ken put one of his elbows on each of Greg's  
and my shoulders and leaned between us a bit. "Who you callin' freaks, hotshot?"  
  
"Look, greasers, we've got four more of us in the back seat..."  
  
"I feel sorry for the backseat," Ken directed at the sky.   
  
"If you're looking for a fight..."  
  
Ken raised his eyebrow, but it only made him look cooler than ever. "You mean, if I'm lookin'  
for a good jumping, you outnumber me 'n my boys here, so you'll give it to us good? Well..."  
He grabbed an empty bottle that was lying on the ground, smashed the end, and gave it to  
me. Reaching into his back pocket, he flipped out his blade. Greg dug around in his pocket  
and pulled his out, too.  
  
"NO!" Serena cried desperately. "Stop it!" She looked at Diamond. "We'll ride home with   
you. Just hold up for a second!"  
  
"Why, Sere?" Ken demanded. "We aren't scared of them."  
  
Diamond glowered. "Don't call her that."  
  
Serena shuddered and didn't appear to notice her boyfriend's threatening tone, or, rather, his   
words at all. "I can't stand fights...I can't stand them..." She stammered.  
  
I pulled her to one side. "I couldn't use this," I said, dropping the soda bottle. "I couldn't ever  
cut anyone..." I had to tell her that, because I saw the raw fear in her eyes when Ken flicked  
out his blade.  
  
"I know," she said quietly. "But we'd better go with them. Darien...I mean...If I see you in the  
hall at school or something and don't say hi...Don't take it personally...But..."  
  
"I know," I mumbled.  
  
"We just couldn't let our parents see us with you. You're real nice and everything..."  
  
"No, Sere--Serena. It's okay." I said, wishing I was dead in a hole somewhere, or at least  
wearing a decent shirt. "We're not in the same clss. Just...Don't forget that some of us watch  
the same sunset, too."  
  
She looked at me quickly. "I could fall in love with you, Darien Shields. I better hope I never   
see you again."  
  
She left me standing there with my mouth dropped open, and the blue Ford zoomed off,   
leaving three feet of rubber behind it.   
  
The remaining three of us continued home in silence. I wanted to ask Greg if they were  
the same Socs that beat him up, but couldn't find the words to say it. Greg never says   
anything about it, so we don't talk about it.  
  
"Well, those were two hot girls if I ever saw any." Ken yawned as we sat down on the curb  
near the empty lot. He took a pink piece of paper out of his pocket and ripped it to shreds.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Molly's number. Probably fake, too. I must've been crazy to ask for it, but I think I'm a little  
smashed."  
  
So he *was* drinking. "You guys going home?" he asked.  
  
"Nah," I replied. I wanted to have another smoke and watch the stars, I didn't have to be   
in till twelve. I didn't have a watch, but I was pretty sure I had lots of time.  
  
"I don't know why I gave you that bottle," Ken said suddenly as he got to his feet. "You never  
would've used it."  
  
"Maybe I would've," I shot back casually. "Where you going?"  
  
"Gonna go look for some gambling, maybe get smashed. I don't know. See you tomorrow,  
Darien. Later, Greggie-Gregs."  
  
  
Me and Greg stretched out on our backs, staring up at the diamonds in the sky. I was freezing--  
it was a cold night and all I had was that sweatshirt--but I'm so astrology obsessed I'd watch  
the stars in minus fourty weather. I stared at the moon, thinking of my lost little bunny.   
Rini...God, why did you take her? I miss her so much. Could Serena really be...Don't be stupid,  
Dare. We've been through this. But still...It'd be so awesome...  
  
"'Cause we're greasers.' Greg said. His voice was hard, low, and flat, and I knew he was   
talking about Serena. "We could hurt her perfect reputation."  
  
"I guess..." I murmured, wondering if I should tell him about what she'd said to me before  
departing.   
  
"Man, that was a tuff car. Fords are tuff." (AN: *sticks out her tongue* A *Ford?!* Greg must  
be cRaZeE!"  
  
"Definite Socs, that's for sure..." There was a hardness growing inside me; it wasn't fair for  
the Socs to have everything. We're just as good as they are: maybe better, since we feel.  
It's not our fault we're greasers. I just can't say "Screw it all," like Ken, or ignore it and just  
fall in love with life anyway, like Andy, or get hard till I don't care, like Chad, or just enjoy it   
like Jed and Amara. The tension was growing insdide me and I knew something had to   
change, or I'd explode.  
  
"I can't take it anymore!" Greg bolted upright and spoke my own feelings. "I'll kill myself or  
something!"  
  
"*Don't!*" I blurted, sitting up in alarm. "Gregz, you can't kill yourself!"  
  
"...I won't. But I gotta do *something*. Go somewhere with no greasers, no Socs. Just people,  
ordinary people."  
  
"The country," I amended, lying back down.   
  
I love the country. Being out of towns, away from excitement. Lying on my back, under a tree,  
and read a book or drawing a picture. Never worrying about being jumped, or carrying a   
blade, or ending up married to someone like Raye or Lita--nice enough girls, but too hard  
and tough. *The country would be like that,* I thought dreamily. I'd have a dog, like I used to,  
and Andy could get Mickey Mouse back, and Seiya would be like he used to before Mom  
and Dad died. Since I was dreaming, I brought Mom and Dad back to life. Mom'd make   
chocolate cakes again, and Dad would drive the pickup out early to feed the cattle. He'd   
slap Seiya on the back and tell him he was becoming a man, a real 'chip off the ol' block',   
and we'd all be close like we used to be. Maybe Greg could come and live with us, and  
the gang could come out on weekends. Maybe Chad would  
see there was good in the world after all, and Mom would talk to him and make him smile  
in spite of himself. "You've got a phat mom," he used to say. "She knows what's going down."  
She used to talk to Chad, keep him from getting in lots of trouble. She was there for us all  
when Rini died, of course, but for Chad and I more than anyone. My mother...She was golden,  
pure golden, and beautiful, like Serena...  
  
Sere. She could come out and see us on weekends, too, and maybe she really would fall  
in love with me, for keeps, forever. She would dump Diamond, and someday we'd get   
married... She'd help Mom make chocolate cakes, and they'd have long talks, and they'd   
adore each other...  
  
"Darien!" Greg was shaking me. "Oh, shit, Darien, wake up."  
  
I sat up, shivering. The stars had moved. "Damn! What time is it?"  
  
"I don't know. I went to sleep, too, listening to you go on and on about the country and your  
parents or something. You'd better get home; I think I'll stay out here all night." Greg's parents  
don't give a damn if he comes home or not.  
  
"Aight." I yawned. Damn, but it was cold. "If you get cold or something come on over to our  
house."  
  
" 'Kay."  
  
I ran home, scared at the idea of facing Seiya. The dim porch light was on, maybe they were  
sleeping and I could sneak in. I peeked in the window. Andy was sleeping on the couch, but  
Seiya was reading the paper in the arm chair, looking beyond pissed. I swallowed hard, then  
opened the door quietly.   
  
Seiya was on his feet in two seconds flat. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" he  
thundered, advancing on me.  
  
I gulped and backed up a step, shaking my head and remaining silent.   
  
"Well, it's two in the morning, Darien! I was THIS close to calling the police!" He held his  
index finger and thumb a centimeter or two, ignoring the banging on the wall--from our   
neighbors who couldn't be too pleased that Seiya was spazzing at 2 a.m. "Where were you,  
Darien?" My silence seemed to enrage him further, and his voice began to rise. "Where in  
the hell were you?"  
  
Even I have to admit how dumb it sounded when I finally stammered out that I had fallen   
asleep in the lot.   
  
"Darien?" Andy's sleepy voice startled us both and we turned to the couch. My brother was  
sitting on the end of it, in his boxers, rubbing his eyes sleepily and looking for the world like  
a little boy. "Where you been, kiddo?"  
  
"It wasn't my fault!" I begged Seiya. "I was talking to Greg and we just fell asleep."   
  
His voice got angrier. "Oh, so now you're bringing Greg into this, huh?" Andy looked at both  
of us, seeming confused.  
  
"I guess it never occured to you that your brothers might be totally freaked for you, but were  
scared to call the cops, because something like that could get you and Andy stuck in a home?  
*And you were asleep in the damned lot! Darien, what the hell's wrong with you? Couldn't   
you stop to think? You don't even have a damn coat on! I should've just gotten you put in with  
a foster home when Mom and Dad died."  
  
"Seiya! Don't ever say--" Andrew started, jumping up. He looked shocked, and a little pissed  
that Seiya would say something like that.   
  
Suddenly, Seiya spun around and started screaming at Andy. "You shut your God forsaken  
mouth! I'm sick of hearing you defending him all the time."  
  
He can't ever yell at Andy. Nobody can ever yell at my brother, I won't let them. So I exploded,  
like I always do when I'm talking about Andrew and someone starts to badmouth him or  
something.   
  
"Don't yell at him!" I shouted. Seiya spun around again and slapped me so hard it knocked   
me against the door.   
  
Suddenly it was deadly quiet, and the air was heavy. We were all frozen, our family never  
hit each other. Not for real anyways. Andy was staring at both of us, his blue eyes wide and  
scared. Seiya looked at his hand, which was red, then back at me. His eyes were big and  
guilty, maybe even frightened."Darien...Oh, God, Darien..."   
  
I turned and ran out the door, back to the lot, as fast as I could. Our door banged open and I heard  
Seiya scream, "Darien, I didn't mean to!" But I was at the lot by then and pretended I couldn't  
hear him. I heard his pounding footsteps and doubled my speed.   
  
  
"Greg? Come on!" I called, nearly screaming as he rolled over and jumped up almost under  
my feet. "Come on, Greg. We're running away."   
  
The good thing about Greg is that he doesn't ask questions. We ran for several blocks, until  
Seiya's steps finally ceased and we were out of breath. Then we walked. I was crying, so  
hard I could barely see, and finally I just sat down at the curb and sobbed, burying my face  
in my arms. Greg plopped himself down next to me and leaned his elbow on my shoulder.  
  
"S'aight, Darien, chill," he said softly. "We're gonna be okay."  
  
Finally, I chilled and wiped my eyes on my bare arm. "Got a smoke?" I asked, my voice   
quivering and my breath coming in desperate gasps.  
  
He handed me one and sparked it with his old lighter.   
  
"Greg, I'm scared."  
  
"Don't be; you're the one who's scaring me. What happened? I've never seen you bawl like  
that."   
  
"That's 'cuz I never have before," I said, sniffling and feeling stupid. This times 10 happened   
to Greg everyday, and he never even complained. I get hit once, and I start crying like a baby.  
  
"It was Seiya," I finally admitted, staring at my hands. How could I tell my best friend, who lived  
with this everyday, that I cried because my older brother smacked me one that I deserved?  
"He hit me. I don't know how it happened, but I just...I couldn't take it with him yelling at me  
*and* hitting me all the time...He never used to be like this, we used to get along okay. Before  
Mom and Dad...You know. Now he can't stand me."  
  
"I think I like it better when my dad's hitting me," Greg sighed. "'Cause then I know he knows  
I exist. I go in the house, no one says shit. I walk out, no one says shit. I stay out all night,  
but no one notices. At least you got Andy; I don't got no one.  
  
"Damn, Greg," I blurted. "You got the whole gang! Chad didn't hit you tonight 'cause you're  
the pet. I mean...Damn, Johnny, you got the whole gang."  
  
"It's not the same as havin' your own parents care about you." he mumbled simply. "It's just  
not the same."  
  
I was chilling out, and wondered if running away was such a great idea. I was sleepy, and  
cold as death again, and I wanted to be in bed, warm, with Andy's arm thrown over me. I  
decided I'd go home and just not talk to Seiya. It was my house as much as his, and if he   
wanted to pretend I wasn't in existance, it ws fine with me and he could suck it. He can't  
stop me from living in my own house.  
  
"Lets walk over to the park and back. Then maybe I'll be chilled enough to go home."  
  
"Aight," Greg said easily. "Okay."  
  
Things gotta get better, I figured. How could they get any worse?  
  
I was wrong.   
  
  
  
Aight, so I didn't finish last night. But I almost did! *grinz* I only had to type up a bit more today.  
  
Come on, guys, review! Peaz? Chibi Angel has been crying all night, for sobbing out loud!  
We're not getting any reviews for this story! REVIEW THIS STORY, OR I'M DISCONTINUING  
RUNAWAY!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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